Lynx' Lindsay Whalen, Rebekkah Brunson named All-Star reserves

Tuesday Lynx point guard Lindsay Whalen and forward Rebekkah Brunson were named as reserves for the Western Conference team for Saturday’s WNBA All-Star Game. Whalen and Brunson will join with teammates Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus, who were voted in as starters.

And coaching them all will be Reeve and Lynx assistants Shelley Patterson and Jim Petersen. Athletic trainer Chuck Barta will also go to Connecticut.

“We’re excited and well-represented,” said Reeve, whose team enters Wednesday’s game with Phoenix with the best record in the WNBA (13-3). “I would have liked to have seen (Lynx guard Monica Wright) there, but I was told I was being a little greedy.”

Still, the Lynx will have four players on the West’s roster for the second time in three years; the same four were named to the 2011 team. No All-Star game was held in 2012 because of the Olympics.

Whalen and Brunson will each be making their third All-Star appearance. Moore will be making her second appearance, Augustus her fourth.

“It shows what we’ve been able to do over the first half of the season,” said Whalen, whose 16.1-point scoring average is the highest of her career. She will be returning to Connecticut, where she began her WNBA career. Moore played college ball at Connecticut.

“It’s an honor, of course,” added Brunson, who took over the franchise lead in rebounding during Sunday’s victory in Phoenix. “It feels good to go out with my fellow Lynx. We’ll try to have a good time, represent the West, and the Lynx, as best we can.”

Also named as reserves for the Western Conference team were Tulsa forward Glory Johnson, Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, San Antonio guard Danielle Robinson and Sparks guard Kristi Toliver.